Mon banc dominical/My Sunday Bench -Chartres

 A good place to contemplate the coming of a New Year - Chartres Cathedral. 

On the streets of Touraine...Blois.

 

Rue des 3 Clefs in Blois,

Have a good weekend everyone. Bon week-end à tous.

 

Looking back to an earlier Boxing Day at Chateau de Chenonceau.

Jigsaw girl...

Ada was delighted to receive this jigsaw from Graunty Eileen for Christmas, it won't be easy however!

 

Swanning around by Ayr beach

After 10 days of consistent wind and rain it was a joy to get out today and do part of our coastal walk here in Ayr.

It was also an opportunity to walk off  what was an excellent Christmas dinner by Eileen yesterday before sitting down to the traditional leftovers today!

The river Doon was in full flow following all the rain we have had.

 

Mon banc dominical/My Sunday Bench - Le Grand-Pressigny

 

Have a lovely Christmas everyone.

Merry Christmas everyone...

 

Have a good weekend everyone. Bon week-end à tous.

Ma Petite Madelaine Chambray-lès-Tours 

 

Taken in Touraine...

 

The crib in Eglise Saint-Mandé-Saint-Jean in Ferriere-Larcon

Back to our trip in the south and another mountain village - Sopel.

Our last visit while staying in our great apartmment in Menton was to the historical town of Sopel deep in the Bévéra Valley in the southern edge of the Mercantour National Park. 

The village was a staging post on the old salt road from Nice to Turin with travelers having to pay a toll to cross over the river Bevera. 

Originally dating from the 13th century it was partly rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries, with only the lower part remaining from medieval age. 

In the restored paved square you will find the baroque Saint Michel cathedral - its exterior belying the opulence of its interior. 

Walking around the village Pauline spotted a house ready made for her.

Wednesday for windows...Christmas dressing in Tours

 

Back to our trip in the south and that short stay in Italy...

I touched on our short stay in Italy in a previous post - it should have been straightforward enough through the border with a few stops en route.  

We had a few stops within Italy itself where we picked up some new passengers including a group of four men who at first seemed to be together but sat in separate seats throughout the bus.

The short trip through Italy was interesting.

Just after crossing the border back into France the bus was pulled in by the Gendarmerie and we all had to show our I.D. the group of four were treated with some suspicion and one of them who had failed to produce I.D. was removed from the bus. The other three got off the bus together in the first town after the incident.

Interestingly on the way back into France and Menton at Ventimiglia our I.D. was checked again.

Mon banc dominical/My Sunday Bench - Chateau du Rivau

One of the many choices at Chateau du Rivau.

 

On the streets of Touraine...Tours

 

December evening on Rue du Grand Marché in Tours.

Have a good weekend everyone. Bon week-end à tous.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...in Tours.

Taken in Touraine - Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau

 

Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau